


"It doesn't matter anymore."

by Mx Magic Fluffenmew (PerpetuallyDone)



Series: Reconnection [3]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 18:30:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21020321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerpetuallyDone/pseuds/Mx%20Magic%20Fluffenmew
Summary: In which someone else knew about Ratchet’s predicament and also did not tell Gyro.  (A Tumblr Request)





	"It doesn't matter anymore."

**Author's Note:**

> DRAKOTTS ASKED:  
“it doesn’t matter anymore.” ratchet + scrooge. could be riverboat-era, could be older boys, up to you!

When you lived as long as Scrooge McDuck, you had your fair share of tales. Some of them you could recall as if they just happened yesterday, while others grew blurry from the years. There were a few, however, he wished he could drown out and smother. Fights from his youth, from when he could say it and mean it, that made so little sense to him as he grew older and continued to do so. 

Eventually, they just felt foolish. Petty.

He realized he might have lost too many good things, good opportunities, good _people _to times that were only a moment in the expanse of his ever dragging life.

He would be 153 soon.

He wasn’t sure if his old friend would make it that long.

<strike>Could he still call him that?</strike>

When Scrooge originally hired on Gyro all those years ago, he knew exactly who he was. The son of a man he never got to meet, and the grandson of one he <strike>thought </strike>he knew so well. But as time passed, and Gyro started to open up to him in little pieces, bits of information here and there after years of working so closely, Scrooge learned the young man didn’t know much more than him. Both of them left the others behind over squabbles they were _darn _certain they were in the right on.

For Gyro’s sake, Scrooge hoped he truly was as right as he felt himself to be.

But in more recent times, it seemed they were both trying to fix those bridges. While Gyro was busy deep in his lab, preparing it with his team for Fulton’s arrival, Scrooge had other plans.

Fulton didn’t have to know.

Neither did Gyro.

In fact, to make sure his tracks were as covered as possible, he didn’t even request a ride from Launchpad to the hospital. He already knew exactly where to go, the room number practically engraved in his mind like a new penny. When he finally reached it, he lifted his cane and rapped on it three times.

At first he didn’t hear a thing. Was he too late??

But then he heard it, after countless decades. 

“Come in…!” 

Sucking in a deep breath, Scrooge slowly let it out before lowering his cane and opening the door. The sight in the bed before him was nearly enough to drop his schooled expression. Instead, his brows rose sharply.

“Ratchet Gearloose…. Is tha’ really you?”

There propped up against the sterile bed sat Ratchet, so pale he could have vanished in the sheets if not for what was left of his auburn hair; and so thin he could have sat three of him side by side. Several wires stuck out from his hand and beneath his hospital gown, leading to a crew of beeping machines. Despite the gauntness of his face, his withered body, and being locked down by machines that kept him alive, the man smiled. 

Despite seeing it was Scrooge McDuck in his doorway, he smiled.

“The one and only. I never was really fond of the whole idea of clones,” he jested with a chuckle, only to let out a cough seconds after, bringing his untethered hand to his beak as he did so

Scrooge couldn’t help but let out a bark of laughter, shaking his head. "Afta all these years, an’ that’s all ye got ta say?“ Stepping further into the room, he shut the door behind him. He swiped his hat off of his head and tucked it beneath his arm. Each footstep weighed heavy on his shoulders, yet with each one Ratchet’s expression didn’t waver. Even as he came to his bedside and set down his hat.

“What else is there to say?”

The duck paused, tilting his head slightly. He pursed his bill. "Most would say I should apologize.“

Ratchet tilted his head as well. "What for?” He asked as he lowered his hand to rest atop the hat.

Brows pinched, Scrooge lowered his gaze to the man’s feathery hand, the blackness of the hat managing to make him look even paler, more sickly. "…Y'know, I don’t even remember.“

At that, Ratchet laughed again, bright and cheery despite it all, only to break into another coughing fit.

Scrooge’s eyes immediately snapped to him with a scowl. "Will you know that off!? Cannae have you dying on me already!”

After what felt like too long (maybe twenty seconds at most), the laughter and coughing stopped, leaving the chicken smiling and catching his breath. Instead of resting his hand back on his lap or the hat, Ratchet reached out and rested it on Scrooge’s shoulder. "It doesn’t matter anymore, Scrooge. To be quite honest with you, I don’t even remember why we fought. If we are rivals holding grudges after all this time, I say it’s long behind us.“

Looking to Scrooge, his smile softened. "It’s good to see you again, old friend.”

With a smile of his own, Scrooge ignored the pricking in his eyes, resting his hand over Ratchet’s. "You too, old friend.“


End file.
